


And I'm Trying Not to Crash

by TsukinoKei



Series: Let's Not Fall in Love [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Aquariums, Implied Sexual Content, Japan, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Playlist, References to the DCEU, Romance, Travel, multiple cameos from the DC characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2019-09-06 08:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16828684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsukinoKei/pseuds/TsukinoKei
Summary: “Why didn’t we ever get together?”“We got tired chasing after each other, I suppose. So much distance between us, yet so little time together.”“Do you... do you want to try?”Part 2 of the Let’s Not Fall in Love series, Damian and Jon meet again in Japan, picks up five years after their date in Gotham.





	1. Heartbeats bangin' in Your Chest

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who's back with Part 2! It's been a while since I've written, and this instalment was actually born from my two trips to Japan back in 2017, one of June and the other in December. (More notes below!) 
> 
> There will be a playlist accompanying this fic, it's still not done yet. But for those who are interested, the first three tracks that go with this chapter are, "Tokyo Narita" by Halsey and Lido, "Tokyo" by RM (Rap Monster from BTS), and Tokyo by Rynn. 
> 
> Fic and chapter titles taken from [Halsey's Tokyo Narita](https://open.spotify.com/track/0W182mlOojwvO1HoXPkHXY?si=0AMShTpcTBquJdHHrjibug)
> 
> This fic is self-betaed, any mistakes made are my own.

_Lunch hour at Shinjuku Station is a nightmare_ , Jon thinks.

He makes his way towards the JR Yamanote Line through the sea of commuters. Scratch that, Shinjuku Station is always a nightmare to navigate.12 different subway lines operated by 5 different railway companies with a total 36 different platforms, it was a miracle he has not gotten lost once in one of the world’s busiest transport hubs since arriving in Tokyo four months ago.

He narrowly misses walking into three different tourists dragging their luggages and a group of teenagers who stopped to take a photo of a wall mural of the latest Tokyo Ghoul live action movie. He has given up listening to music whenever he has to change lines at Shinjuku Station; too many incidents of headphone wires caught on ticket gantries and strangers’ haversacks.

He jogs up the stairs towards platform 7, the train wasn’t due to arrive in 5 minutes. For how busy and crowded Tokyo is, Jon could never cease to marvel at the punctuality and efficiency of the Tokyo subway system.

“Kent? Jon Kent? Is that you?”

_Who?_

Jon turns, and he swears his heart did not skip the slightest at the sight of the familiar tall young man striding towards him; dressed in a smart black suit sans tie and carrying a black briefcase. There was a small smile on his lips as he reaches out with his right hand, his green eyes shining with joy.

“D-Damian?”

It has been three years, three long years since they went on their separate ways. Jon had been in his final year of high school, and Damian, almost finished with university. Both of them had took a break from superhero duties to focus on school, and they started meeting less and less, always busy with real life commitments. They barely had enough time to even have dinners together after missions, much less a proper follow-up date to their last one in Gotham.

Jon thinks that was the reason they drifted apart. A lot can happen in the three years they have not spoken to each other, for all the advancements in technology and how connected the world is, all it takes is for both parties to stop reaching out, for one person to not make any effort, and the connection simply ends.

He wonders if Damian misses him as much as he did him.

Jon always wondered how his friend was; he had only managed to catch glimpses of him on the news. The media is always clamouring to know the youngest Wayne child, brilliant and shrewd like this father and siblings. There had even been rumours that Damian Wayne was slated to take over Wayne Enterprises.

And just like all the other Wayne children, his private life was fiercely guarded and kept under lock and key. The last Jon had heard of Damian was that he had graduated from Gotham University.

But none of that matters to Jon right now, because Damian is in Tokyo, his best friend, his Robin, his-... right in front of him.

“It’s been a while, Jon.”

Damian’s grip is strong around his hand. Jon has to gather himself to splutter, “Yes! Damian- I- You’re in Japan! Wow, it’s been a while, yes-“

The loud blare of the horn drowns out his words as the train pulls into the station, the lunch crowd immediately pushing the two men aside as the commuters began to board the train.

“Oh god, I would love to stay and talk, but I’m actually rushing to school, I’ll text you somehow?” Jon babbles, pulling away to get on the train. 

“It’s fine, we can exchange numbers on the train,” Damian follows after him, a hand on his lower back as he pushes him towards the sliding doors on the other side of the train. 

The doors slide close with a hiss and pulls out of Shinjuku station. The trains are always packed at Shinjuku, no matter what time of the day it is. And being on the Yamanote Line meant a higher chance of getting on a packed train during peak hours. While Jon stands at least a head taller than the average Japanese , no one likes to be caught in a packed train in one of the busiest subway lines in the world, not even Superboy himself.

The train pulls to a stop at Shin-Okubo, Jon nearly falls but Damian has an arm around his waist to stead him. He realises that Damian’s build was shielding him from the crowd, pressing him close to the sliding doors behind him. He could almost smell the faint hint of cologne on him, something crisp and light. Jon tries not to let his eyes linger on Damian’s neck, the top button undone to show a silver of collarbone...

He coughs and asks, “Wanna exchange numbers?”

“Sure, I’ll give you my number since my phone’s in my briefcase.”

“I suppose you don’t use LINE?”

“No idea what that is.”

“I’ll... just give you a missed call then.”

Damian tells him his number as he looks up at the screen overhead, displaying the station name and subway line and asks, “Where are you headed?”

“Takadanobaba, I’m currently on exchange at Waseda University.”

They arrive at Takadanobaba, and Damian walks him to the bus stop right outside the station.

“Jon, would you like to have dinner together tonight? If you’re free, that is,” Damian’s eyes were warm, and he looks happy to see Jon again.

The bus conductor at the bus stop asks if he was boarding, Jon hurriedly answers an affirmative and moves to get on the bus.

“Sure, my classes end at 4:30, we could meet at 5. I’ll text you the directions to Waseda?”

Damian nods and waves goodbye from the bus stop before turning back into the station. Jon pulls out his phone and looks at the number he saved. Three years, of all places to meet, it happens to be in Tokyo. _My life isn’t a Sofia Copolla film goddammit._

He fires off a text to Damian.

****_**Jon**  
_ ****_**Jon here. (1:01)**  
**Take that same bus I took all the way to the end, it’s a loop, so I’m sure you’ll know where to stop. (1:01)   
**_**_We’ll meet in front of the auditorium? It’s a building that looks like a church. (1:02)_**

_**Damian  
Thanks. (1:03)**_  
 __ **I’ll give you a heads up the moment I reach. (1:03)**

**_Jon  
_ ** **_Where are you headed to anyways? (1:05)_ **

**_Damian  
_ ** **_Roppongi (1:06)_ **

**_Jon  
_ ** **_But that’s on the opposite direction. You’re supposed to head towards Shibuya. (1:07)_ **

Jon pauses.   
****

**_Jon  
_ ** **_You took the wrong train (1:10)_ **

**_Damian  
_ ** **_I just wanted to see you (1:12)_ **

The words hang heavily in Jon’s mind.

He doesn’t reply.

***

Damian is late.

He sits on the steps in front of Okuma Auditorium, sipping a cup of Mint Chocolate drink he bought from the Family Mart across the road. The weather was humid but windy, late enough to not have the merciless summer sun beat down on him. The cool drink does little to combat the warm humidity of the Tokyo summer.

He watches as another group of tourists walks by the auditorium, taking turns to take selfies and photos in front of the building. It was the only building on campus that looks like a church, with that clock tower and its creepy glowing clock face at night.

Jon looks at the clock on his phone, _5:30pm,_ and he slurps the last bit of his drink though the straw. He hopes Damian isn’t lost somewhere in the campus, _‘a building that looks like a church’_ isn’t exactly Ancient Greek considering there is only one such building on campus nearest to the bus stops.

He waves at a classmate from Japanese class who walks pass the grounds with another student next to her. Damian is _soooo_ treating him to dinner this time, and to think Damian said HE was the one with punctuality issues.

He misses Damian. After their coincidental meet up in Shinjuku, Jon would be lying if Damian’s message didn’t make his heart ache a little on the way to school.

_I’m majoring in mass communications in Metropolis University now, and a minor in linguistics. I will be applying for an internship with the Japan Times, mum and dad are thrilled, though I think they secretly wanted me to join the Daily Planet. How are you, Damian? I feel like there’s so much missing in my life ever since I took a break from being Superboy. I want to know what you’ve been up to. I miss you I miss you I miss you..._

“Jon!”

He looks up and sees Damian walking towards him, perspiring a little from the balmy Tokyo summer. His suit jacket is hanging from one arm, shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows with the first two buttons undone. It is rather unexpected seeing him looking this casual, but Jon can see the familiar toned musculature underneath the white dress shirt, and he wills himself to not let his gaze linger for too long.

“You’re late,” Jon says flatly.

“My apologies, the meeting took longer than I expected. I should have texted you.”

“Then, as punishment, you’re treating me to dinner, Damian Wayne.”

Damian allows an exaggerated look of shock on his face. “Is this how you treat your best friend after having not seen them for three years? I am appalled, Jonathan Samuel Kent.”

They stare at each other for an entire minute before bursting into loud peals of laughter, eliciting stares from a few students walking by. Damian coughs and holds out a hand to help Jon get up, his grip warm and strong.

“You’re the one who said you were rich, remember?” Jon dusts off his jeans.

“Oh yes, that time at that convenience store while paying for ice cream. I missed that,” Damian grins, his gaze softening at the memory.

“You said I was poor.” Jon narrows his eyes at him.

“Well… yes… but I did have to find a way to pay for the ice cream.” Damian grins sheepishly at him, and Jon was struck by how much more relaxed his friend looked, the grin befitting of the young man he should have been years ago when they first met.

“So, dinner? I hope you don’t mind typical Western fare, there’s this cafe I always go to for cheap pizza.”

The streets around Waseda University are quiet, a far cry from the bustle of Shinjuku and Shibuya. Occasionally, a bicycle whizzes past them, the sharp ring of the bell breaking the peaceful silence in the neighbourhood.

“You never told me what you were doing in Japan,” Jon says.

“I’m here on behalf of Wayne Enterprises actually. Wayne Foods’s been intending to break into the Japanese market for the past few years, we’re hoping to establish some sort of partnership with certain companies and bring their products to the States.”

“Anything exclusive I should know?” Jon grins at his friend. “I’m sure mum and dad would appreciate the tip.”

Damian barks out a laugh, “I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you.”

“Damian!” Jon laughs. “That’s the worst cop out I’ve ever heard, you should be ashamed.”

“Ashamed? Me? Never!”

Another loud peal of laughter from him causes curious heads to turn towards them, Jon claps a hand over his lips and punches a grinning Damian on the shoulder.

Jon brings them to a cafe that he frequents for their set meals. With a few tables occupied, they were able to secure a table near the floor to ceiling windows. The interior of the cafe was simple yet stylish, with a mainly monochrome colour scheme complimented with warm lighting that gives a hint of intimacy to the place.

Between them, they ordered a plate of fries, a mushroom risotto with a light citrus finish and a large prosciutto pizza to share. Jon orders for the both of them, after Damian insisted that his proficiency of Japanese only extends to self introduction and nothing else.

As they wait for their food, Damian suddenly reaches over and takes Jon’s hand in his. Jon starts, looking around to make sure no one is looking at them before curling his fingers around Damian’s palm.

“Your hand is really cold.”

“Bad circulation,” Jon lets out a nervous laugh. His own heart is beating so fast it’s almost making his head spin. Has Damian’s hand always been this warm? Jon could hear his heartbeat too, and it makes him feel better to know that his best friend is just as nervous as he was.

“When are your summer holidays?”

“August, I get 7 weeks off from school.”

“That’s great! I’ll be done with the project by end July. I was wondering if you would like to spend the summer together? We could go to Kyoto and Osaka if you want.” 

Damian’s voice gets softer, but he sounds more urgent, desperate even. Like he wants Jon to say yes.

_Yes, a thousand times yes. I miss you I miss you I miss you._

Jon lowers his gaze, not wanting to see the disappointment in Damian’s eyes.

“I can’t… I accepted an internship with The Japan Times this summer. I start end July actually. Maybe… December? I’m sure I could take a few days off school in the beginning of the month, and we can go on a trip to Kansai together.”

“Sure! Anything’s good. It’s just… it’s been ages since we actually properly hung out and all.”

An awkward silence hangs over them and Jon pulls his hand away just as the waiter arrives with their food. He keeps his eyes on the plate, not knowing how to look at his best friend in the eye. As he reaches for a fry, Damian reaches over again and takes his hand in his.

He doesn’t think about the lump rising at the back of his throat, the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill over, and how natural it feels, to hold Damian’s hand again.

“Jon.”

He swallows the lump and meets Damian’s concerned gaze with a smile of his, wiping away the tears at the corner of his eyes with the heel of his hand.

The grip around his hand tightens.

“I missed you.”

Jon squeezes Damian’s hand in reassurance, “I missed you too.”

***

“Japan was the last place I figured you’d go for exchange.” Damian says.

The streets of Takadanobaba are lined with Pachinko parlours and Karaoke studios. Being a college neighbourhood, the streets are still noisy with university students making their way home. The blue and white signs of the occasional _Lawson_ and _Family Mart_ stood out stark against the bright neon signs lining the buildings.

They aren’t holding hands, but walked close to each other, their hands ccasionally bumping.

“Mum and Dad wanted me to see the world,” Jon says. “Somewhere far from America and the West. I have been studying Japanese as a second language since high school, so I figured it would be good to have a year long exchange in Tokyo. I was aiming for Toudai but I guess my GPA didn’t make the cut.”

“I’m sure you’re doing fine, Jon.”

“I suppose.”

The conversation tapers off to yet another awkward silence.

_It’s different now_ , Jon thinks. There are unspoken things between them that Jon knows he does not have the courage to confront. And if he is being honest with himself, he doesn’t know if he had chosen to go on a year long exchange far from America just to see the world or to escape.

Jon loves Japan, and Tokyo has been good to him. He loves the multitudes of shrines across the city, most of which he has yet to visit, and the museums that he has seen on travel books and the internet. Once, his father had even flew over to visit with his mother when they managed to take some time off from work, surprising him after his classes.

Jon had flown to Mount Fuji in secret a month after he had arrived in Toyko, flying high enough to avoid the lights from the city and the occasional drone.

He had landed near the peak and watched the full moon from the mountain. Jon remembers how close the moon had looked from the summit, while the volcano sleeps on underneath his feet. The mountain had been off limits to climbers during that time, and Jon found himself all alone and ankle deep in heavy snow, with nothing but the howl of the winds for company.

He misses that solitude at times, when he is in his little apartment in Suginami, listening to the trains run in the night as he writes his essays with the TV on low.

Damian’s voice cuts through his train of thoughts.

“Jon? You’re spacing out.”

“Sorry, I was just— thinking of things. You know, trying to get used to the idea of being away from home for the next 9 months.”

Jon laughs helplessly, a sudden wave of homesickness washing over him. He misses Metropolis, Mum, Dad, Kara, Kon and Grandma. _I’m not alone_ , he reminds himself, _I just wanted to see a familiar face. And Damian’s here, I’m not alone._

“Jon…”

Damian looks worried, almost sad as he reaches to hold Jon’s hand in his, the grip tight and comforting. Jon wants to reach out to bury his face in the lapels of his suit jacket, to remember how he feels in his arms because he misses him so much. So much has happened in the past three years, and Damian isn’t just Robin anymore. He is Damian Wayne, brilliant and shrewd, just like his father in the business world.

But he is always Damian to Jon, who tries his best to be a better person than he used to be.

_I love you_ , Jon thinks.

He pretends Damian can hear his thoughts loud and clear, can see how much he loves him in his eyes. Never mind that they are in public, Jon wants to hold Damian’s hand tight in his and never let go.

“Where are you staying? Wouldn’t want you to go home too late.”

“15 minutes from here by train, I’ll be fine.”

They continue their way to Takadanobaba station, their hands still linked, hidden in the dark of the night. They don’t talk about Jon’s sudden pensiveness. Instead, Damian points out the different karaoke and pachinko parlours that catches his eye, occasionally getting distracted by a _Matsumoto Kiyoshi_ or _Lawson_ outlet.

They stop holding hands the moment the station comes into view, and Jon finds himself missing the security that comes along with it. The two young men made their way to the platform in silence, a heavy tension hanging between them.

“Guess I’ll see you soon?” Damian asks.

He reaches a hand towards Jon, but pulls back at the last second as the train pulls into the station, the loud blare of the horn ringing in his ears.

Jon immediately takes his hand in his.

“You— you can stay the night with me if you want. I don’t have any classes tomorrow and…”

He trails off, refusing to look at Damian in the eyes.

“Sure, why not.”   
  
***  
  
They spend the entire ride home in silence, standing on opposite sides of the train door with their noses buried in their phones. Jon thinks his heart is going to beat right of his chest as he replays the entire interaction in his head, the near desperate way he had grabbed at Damian’s hand, not wanting the night to end so soon. 

Damian seems busy enough, typing furiously away at his phone even as they change trains at Shinjuku station. Jon watches the buildings pass in silence, the crowd gradually thinning as the train makes its way into the suburbs. The carriage was blissfully silent, and Jon looks away from the windows to occupy himself with reading an advertisement about a private university accepting applications for the coming semester.

The platform is empty as they alight at Hachimanyama station, and for a moment it felt like they were the only two people in the world. Damian follows quietly beside him as he leads the way back to his apartment, a light brown bricked building with three storeys right next to the train station.

“You can hear the trains from your apartment,” Damian comments, as Jon fishes out the keys to the lobby from his leather messenger bag, a gift from his parents before he left for Japan.

“People can see into the building too,” Jon replies. “My windows and balcony are facing the tracks.”

“You have curtains, I suppose?”

“My landlady was kind enough to add them to the apartment. She fusses over me more than my mum does, despite having a massive language barrier between us. She’s from Shanghai, you see,” he adds, at Damian’s confused look. “I think mum finds it hilarious that even 6700 miles away from home, I’m still getting mothered.”

Jon’s apartment is on the third floor, the corridor wide enough for one person to walk through at a time. The close proximity to another apartment building is enough to make Jon consciously soften his footsteps.

“It’s really tiny, but it’s home.”

Damian toes off his shoes at the narrow _genkan,_ and Jon can see him gawking at how narrow the hallway is, with a kitchenette to the left and a tiny bathroom to the right. The small hallway leads to the main living area, the TV in the corner of the room is switched on, the only source of light in the dark room. Aside from the wardrobe where Jon’s clothes and luggage are stored,a large double bed takes up nearly half of the room, right beside the sliding doors that lead to the balcony. Next to the bed is a round table that serves as Jon’s desk, stacks of papers and books scattered messily on it.

Jon pulls out a large towel from the closet and hands it to him.

“You could shower if you like, I think I have something that could fit you.”

“Jon.”

He doesn’t look at Damian. Instead, he pushes the towel into his hands, creating some space between them so Damian can’t see how nervous he was. Here he is, 21 and acting like he has never been alone with his best friend slash almost-boyfriend before.

Damian takes a step forward and he jumps, accidentally tightening his grip on Damian’s hands, the bones creaking underneath his strength.

“Sorry!”

“Jon.” Damian takes the towel from his hands, tossing it carelessly aside as he draws him into his arms, head pressed against his chest. Jon relaxes minutely as he listens to the steady pulse of his best friend’s heart. He missed this, the hugs, the way Damian would press his chin on the top of his head to envelope him completely.

“It’s okay, just let me hold you like this.”

Jon hears the train pulling into the station, the familiar rattling sound of the train tracks easing the oppressive nighttime silence a little.

Jon feels Damian pulling away a little, bending down to press a kiss on his forehead. Jon exhales shakily when he presses a fleeting kiss on either cheekbone, the gesture so tender it makes his heart ache. He wants more of what Damian can give to him.

“Damian, the neighbours…” he tries to protest, but finds himself leaning forward for another kiss on his lips. He missed this, the playful way Damian would nip at his bottom lip before deepening the kiss, his mouth hot and demanding.

“We’ll be quiet,” Damian pulls away to whisper, his hands moving to slip underneath his t-shirt and grip his waist. Jon arches his neck as Damian begins pressing urgent little kisses down the column of his throat, his own hands clawing at the starched cotton dress shirt Damian is wearing.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Damian looks up from where he’s biting at Jon’s collarbones, his own back bent backwards almost painfully. Jon nods wordlessly, swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth as he reaches down to unbuckle Damian’s belt, pulling his shirt-tails from his trousers.

Warm hands still his as Damian kisses him again, lips urgent on his own. Jon is grateful for the plush carpet cushioning his knees as Damian lowers him to the floor, hands moving to pull his t-shirt off his head, throwing it aside before swooping in to leave biting kisses down his sternum.

Jon whimpers and tries to unbutton Damian’s shirt, fingers slipping on the tiny buttons when a playful nip on his nipple leaves him gasping.

“ _Idiot!_ ” he hisses in Japanese.

Damian pulls away to press him down till his back is cushioned on the carpet, the plush tickling his sweat soaked skin. Jon looks up at his best friend hovering over him, affection shining in his green eyes. Jon sniffles, feeling the familiar burn in his eyes as he reaches up to press his palm against Damian’s chest.

“I missed you,” he chokes out.

“Jon,” Damian sighs, cupping his cheek to wipe the tears that have fallen. “And I, you. So so much.”

Damian leans down to kiss him again, this time slow and sensual as he presses himself between his legs. Jon chokes back a moan and reaches up to pull him closer, slipping his fingers in thick dark hair as he sighs into the kiss, allowing Damian to control the pace.

He hears the train passing by again, and he’s glad that the curtains were drawn to give them some privacy for the night.

“Trust me?” Damian asks when he pulls away, eyes half lidded yet eager for more.

“Always,” Jon says, pulling his best friend down for another kiss. 

***

Later, they find themselves laying their sides on Jon’s bed, facing each other; the cool air from the air-conditioner a reprieve on their sweat drenched skin. The bed was a slight squeeze for the two young men, and Jon finds his head pillowed on Damian’s bicep, his arm draped over Damian’s waist.

Damian’s eyes were fond as he runs his hand through Jon’s hair, not saying a word.

Jon thinks, _this is fine this is fine this is fine._

Damian is the first to break the silence.

“Why didn’t we ever get together?”

_Oh._

Jon rolls onto his back, looking up at Damian as he props his head up on one hand, his other arm wrapping around his waist to pull him closer. “We got tired of the chase, I suppose? So much distance between us, yet so little time together.”

Jon looks away, remembering how they never got together properly after that night in Gotham. There was always never enough time to meet, the countless ‘rain check, please’ and ‘let me see my schedule’ texts exchanged between the both of them, rushed dinners in Gotham before Jon flies back to Metropolis for patrol with the others. All these along with a hectic school life and countless number of emergencies they had to attend to, there was simply no time.

“Hated that, we ended up not even talking anymore,” Damian huffs.

They lapse into a comforting silence after that. The apartment is quiet except for the late night programme running on TV. The trains has stopped running, and somewhere in the apartment upstairs, Jon hears a telephone ring.

“Do you… do you want to try?”

“Damian…”

“I know, I know. Not the best kind of pillowtalk after three years of not seeing each other. But… why not?”

Damian looks hesitant, but he covers it well with a casual smirk that makes his angular good looks look boyish. Jon huffs, reaching up to poke Damian’s cheek for good measure.

“Stop hiding your emotions with that infuriating smirk of yours, you’re really becoming like your dad.”

Damian shrugs helplessly, resigned to being found out. Jon has always been good at reading his emotions, due to years of friendship and good observational skills that comes with having two Pulitzer Prize winning journalists as parents. He fancies himself being almost as good as the other Robins when it comes to reading Damian’s emotions. But never did he pry or wedge himself in, he always waited patiently for Damian to let him, to lend a listening ear for whatever that’s troubling him.

“I mean, we could try, we aren’t teenagers anymore.”

“No, we aren’t,” Jon agrees, looking at him straight in the eye. 

“Still afraid?” Damian asks.

Jon is suddenly reminded of that same conversation they had had that night when he had stayed over at the Wayne Manor after their date in Gotham. He had been afraid then, not knowing what the future held for them. _But this is how relationships go, isn’t it? You just go with where it takes you and your partner. You’ll be fine, this is Damian, your best friend._

“A little. But… we could try,” he exhales. “I want this.”

_I want you._

“Me too.”

Damian bends down to kiss him again, allowing Jon to pull him down onto his chest. Jon cards his fingers through Damian’s thick mop of hair, sighing happily into the kiss.

_This_ , he thinks. _This is good. We can work this out._

_***  
__  
_ The next morning finds Jon walking Damian to the station, the early summer sun making him squint. He stifles a yawn and frowns at his best friend, _now boyfriend_ , his mind helpfully supplies, who is looking way too chipper to be up at six in the morning.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call for a taxi or Uber?” Jon asks, as they turn into the station. 

It is still early enough for the station to be completely empty. Most of the shops were still closed, but Jon can hear the nearby supermarket getting ready for the day. The old lady manning the newspaper stand next to the gantries was too engrossed in her copy of _Yomiuri Shimbun_ to pay any attention to the two young men standing nearby. 

“And spend at least 40 dollars on a 20 minutes trip? I may be rich, but trains are much preferable.”

“Alright,” Jon shrugs. “But do text me when you get back to your hotel.”

“Why? Scared that I’ll lose my way in Shinjuku Station and never come out alive?” Damian smirks, pinching Jon’s cheeks playfully.

“Ack! Idiot!”

Damian laughs, rubbing a soothing thumb across Jon’s cheekbones.

“I will be fine, worrywart.”

Jon gives a quick glance to the old lady manning the newspaper stand, before standing on his tip toes to give his boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek.

“Be careful,” he whispers.

Damian leans down to press a quick kiss on his forehead.

“I’ll see you soon, Jon.”

Jon watches as Damian goes through the gantry, waving at him fondly as he takes the escalator up the platform. He turns back to head home. It was still early enough for him to catch a quick nap before getting ready for the day.

His phone buzzes just as he steps into the lobby of his apartment building.

****_**Damian**  
_ **_Are you free next week? (06:15)   
_ ** **_Was wondering if you would like to go out with me (06:15)_ **

**_Jon  
_ ** **_Like a date? /crying with laughter emoji/ (06:16)_ **

******_Damian  
_** ******_/unamused face emoji/ (06:17)   
_** **_No, like a business associate dinner. (06:18)   
_ ** ********_Of course it’s a date! /angry face emoji/ /angry face emoji/ (06:18)_

****_Jon  
_ _I was just kidding /crying with laughter emoji/ (06:19)  
_ _/kissy face emoji/ (06:19)  
_ _Where do you want to go? Don’t say Harajuku. (06:20)_

****_Damian  
_ _Meiji Shrine? (06:21)   
_ _We could walk around Yoyogi Park afterwards, if you would like? (06:21)   
_ _/winky face emoji/ (06:21)_

****_**Jon**  
_ **_Meiji Shrine sounds great~ (06:22)  
_ ** **_We could have dinner afterwards, I know this amazing yakiniku place that serves A5 Grade wagyu at a reasonable price (06:23)_ **

****_**Damian**  
_ **_Wagyu? /goofy face emoji/ (06:24)_  
You’re spoiling me already /kissy face emoji/ /kissy face emoji/ (06:24) **

**_ Jon   
_ ** **_What kind of boyfriend would I be if I don’t spoil my billionaire boyfriend? /huffing with anger face emoji/ (06:26)_ **

****_**Damian**  
_ **_I’m touched /crying face emoji/ (06:27)   
_ ** **_#bestboyfriendever (06:28)_ **

**_ Jon   
_ ** **_I know /smiling face with halo/ (06:29)_ **

****_**Damian**  
_ **_I’ll update you when exactly next week. (06:30)   
_ ** **_Can’t wait. (06:31)_ **

**_Jon  
_ ** **_Me too /kissy face emoji/ (06:31)_ **

On the train towards Roppongi, Damian bites back a smile.

Meanwhile, back at home, Jon buries his face in his pillow to stifle his giggles.

Next week couldn’t come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right. Lots to talk about here! 
> 
> As said above, this fic was pretty much spawned from my trips to Japan in 2017. Along with my own study abroad experience where I actually spent 3/4 of 2018 in Hong Kong. So what Jon feels, the homesickness, the need for solitude, a lot of it was a reflection of my own experiences being abroad. I was with my family, but I actually chose to study in Hong Kong alone because I wanted to meet new people and much of the time was actually spent alone in my flat. 
> 
> You guys probably realised that while Jon is fluent in Japanese, he doesn't suddenly codeswitch to a random _baka!_ or _sumimasen_. Well, I'm multilingual myself, currently learning Japanese as my fourth language, and it just grates on my nerves to see gratituous Japanese in a fic that has no place for it.
> 
> Much of Jon's life in Japan also stemmed from my own trips in Japan, and outings with my friends who are currently pursuing degrees in Japanese universities. So a lot of the places mentioned in the fic are places that I have visited. Jon's little apartment was based on an airbnb I stayed in Tokyo in June, which turned out to be my favourite place in the entire city LOL.
> 
> Anyways, please do leave your comments or kudos if you liked the fic! Would always appreciate any feedback or thoughts


	2. Let's Stay Here A Little Longer Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the wait everyone! To those who have read the original chapter 2, please read this instead! It's much longer with more scenes added towards the end. 
> 
> In case you guys missed my previous note, I do have a [tumblr](ifoundmyselfinabook.tumblr.com) now! No fics will be posted there, don't worry. It's just a dumping ground for my ships, rambling and what not. 
> 
> Also, a companion playlist is available on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/35Kq5rE6pDl6EIJ62k73Kv?si=RguMRHs-T6-IRptRsIan0w), all songs are selected just for this fic, please check it out~
> 
> As usual, this fic is self-betaed, all mistakes made are mine!

They meet on a Wednesday, the day before Damian is due to fly home.

Summer in Japan is hot and humid, and the city feels like an oven, baking its inhabitants with the hot summer sun. The heat was enough to make Damian forgo his usual three-piece suit for a grey short sleeved polo shirt and khaki pants. He stays in the shade of Yoyogi station, waiting patiently for Jon to arrive.

“Damian!” 

He looks up with a smile, watching Jon run up to him. His cheeks were flushed from the heat, and Damian tamps down the urge to pinch his cheeks to tease him like he always does.

“Shall we?”

Stopping at a 7/11 to get some bottled drinks, the two young men slowly make their way towards _Meiji_ Shrine, cutting through the tall office buildings lining the streets. He listens attentively to Jon sharing about his classes and the competitive environment in _Waseda_ University.

“I know I’m on exchange, but it feels like I’m doing twice the amount of work than Metropolis U. Not to mention this constant fear of falling behind, and you know I can’t afford to do that.”

Jon sighs helplessly, his shoulders slumping in dejection. Damian takes the advantage of being in a quiet neighbourhood to sling an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Look, I’m going to be honest. You’re working hard, that’s all that matters. You’re here to learn. I’m sure your parents want to know you’re enjoying yourself, not stressing yourself out. I went to Singapore for my exchange, what you’re experiencing is just the bitter truth about the Asian education system.”

Damian pulls him closer.

“What matters most is that you’re happy here, Jon. That’s what important to me, and to your parents too. We’re always here for you.”

He plants a quick kiss on Jon’s temple, moving his arm to link their hands together. Jon looks up at him, a smile on his face. The tension around his shoulders seems to have lessened; he smiles back at him, squeezing his hand to comfort him.

They continue the rest of their walk in silence, and Damian lets Jon’s hand to slip from his when they near the park. He sees the forest of green ahead, the buzz of the cicadas growing louder as they near the gates of the shrine.

A wooden _torii_ gate towers over the pathway leading into the forest surrounding the shrine. He watches as Jon stops to bow in front of the torii gate, entering the gate by the side. Not wanting to commit any cultural faux pas, Damian gives a small bow before crossing the gate to where Jon is waiting.

Shielded from the hot afternoon sun under the canopy of trees, the sounds of the city seem to be swallowed up by the forest, leaving only the loud buzz of the cicadas and occasional bird song. The gravel pathway is empty save for a few elderly visitors and the occasional tourist clad in a brightly patterned yukata. Damian feels the weight from his shoulders lifting, leaving the stress of endless meetings, business dinners and late-night banquets behind with every step.

“It doesn’t feel like we’re in Tokyo anymore,” he says.

“It really doesn’t, does it?” Jon says. “I love coming here on my free days because it's so quiet. Sometimes you just want to escape from the hustle and bustle of this city, so _meiji jingu_ is great for that.”

Jon looks skywards, a habit of Jon that Damian remembers, whenever he is filled with the urge to take off into the sky when he feels burdened by something.

“Then, there are times when even this is not enough, so I fly. Dad knows I think, but I made sure to be discreet.”

“Where did you go?”

“Mount Fuji. I flew to the peak once in April, when climbers were prohibited to climb the mountain. The wind and snow were ferocious, Damian, I nearly thought I wouldn’t survive the elements. The moon looked so huge, and in that one moment, it felt like I wasn’t even on Earth anymore.”

Jon sighs, “I wish I could bring you along someday.”

Damian reaches over and squeezes Jon’s hand, as they turn into the pathway leading to the entrance of the main shrine complex. “Well, that’s a promise I’ll have to hold you to then.”

Jon smiles at him, leading them to a large pavilion where a large stone water basin sits underneath. Crystal clear water flows from a bamboo pipe and into the basin, with several wooden ladles placed neatly atop of it. Jon passes Damian a ladle, who takes it and rinses his hands and mouth quickly, having been familiar with the purification ritual when his business partners took him on a sightseeing tour to _Asakusa_ Shrine.

Wiping their hands dry with Damian’s handkerchief, the two men enter the main shrine complex, just in time to see an entourage of priest and shrine maidens walking past them in traditional garb. Damian watches enraptured as they swiftly walked towards the building on their right, unaffected by the throng of fascinated tourists taking photos of them.

“Are photos allowed?” Damian asks, slightly discomfited.

“Only when you’re outside of the main buildings. As long as you’re respectful, it’s okay.”

Damian follows Jon to the main shrine, the sound of coins hitting wood and bells ringing filling the air. Visitors and tourists alike paid their respects, tossing coins into the offertory box before making their wishes. He watches as Jon tosses some coins into the large wooden box before making a wish, eyes closed with his hands clasped in front of his face.

Deciding to do the same, Damian tosses a 100 _yen_ coin into the box. He bows and claps twice, making a little wish to anyone who is listening to help him keep an eye on Jon while being so far away from home.

“What did you wish for?” Damian asks when they walk away from the prayer hall.

“Secret!”

Some of the shrine buildings were closed for renovation, Jon leads him to a smaller building where boxes of little cloth sachets in different colours and talismans were displayed on the counters. Damian vaguely remembers Drake sending a list of _omamori_ his brothers and sisters requested he buy on the family group chat.

“Tim got you to buy some _omamori_ to bring home?” Jon asks, looking over his shoulder as he scrolls through the list Drake had sent him.

“Yeah,” he replies absently. “Though I’m torn between getting a work one or a health one for Father.”

“Both?”

“Both?”

“Yeah, both is good,” they replied in unison.

Damian ends up selecting more than 10 different types of omamori for everyone, feeling slightly sheepish as the shrine maiden manning the counter smiles knowingly at him as she bags them up neatly for him.

“ _For your family_?” she asks in Japanese.

“ _Yeah, he’s here on a business trip, I’m just showing him around._ ” Jon answers for him.

“ _Your Japanese is very good. Where are you from_?”

“ _America. I’m currently here as an exchange student_.”

While Jon continues chatting with the shrine maiden, Damian selects a studies _omamori_ for him, hoping it would help in easing his stress in school.

They bid their farewells and retreat into the sheltered sitting area next to the amulet office to escape the scorching glare of the afternoon sun.

Damian pushes the _omamori_ he bought into Jon’s hands.

“For school, I hope it helps.”

Jon looks at the small indigo sachet in surprise, a slight blush blooming across his cheeks as he rubs his thumb over the _kanji_ embroidered on the silk. He gives him a bright smile before leaning up to peck a quick kiss on his cheek.

Damian thinks he will never get used to the way his heart flutters whenever Jon kisses him.

“Guess we’re really meant for each other, ‘cause I got you one too.”

Jon pockets the _omamori_ Damian gave him and places a black one in his hands.

“What is this one for?”

“For victory, be it in business or when you’re out in the field.”

A wedding procession catches their eye, and already visitors were pulling out their phones to capture the entire thing, eager to witness a traditional _Shinto_ wedding taking place. Damian and Jon watch the head priest lead the procession out of the main shrine building. Behind the shrine maidens, the wedded couple follows. The bride’s _shiromuku_ stands out beautifully, happiness glowing from her as she smiles shyly at her husband.

Damian steals a glance at his boyfriend, who is equally as fascinated with the procession as he snaps a few photos with his phone. Jon was smiling again, that same contented look he gave him when he had waved him goodbye at the train station near his home.

A fierce longing grips him, he wants to keep Jon contented and happy like this forever, free from any burdens that threaten to weigh him down. But Damian knows Jon is strong, stronger than any worries that plague him at the moment. Maybe it was the tenacity that drew him in in the first place, how Jon would emerge from horrendous situations with the fire in his heart burning brighter every time.

_I love you._

Jon’s voice snaps him out of his reverie. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it? _Meiji_ _jingu_ is really popular for _Shinto_ weddings. I heard there can be up to 15 in a single day!”

Jon’s eyes are bright and happy. Damian knows who he inherited those eyes from, the shade unlike any colour he has ever seen on earth, hidden underneath those large ray ban glasses that prevented anyone from noticing.

“Damian?”

“Sorry, got caught up in my thoughts,” Damian tamps down the urge to pull him into a kiss right here, the crowds be damned. Instead, he pulls Jon close and raises his phone above their heads, the front camera switched on.

“I think we need a selfie to commemorate our first date together,” he says cheekily.

“Cheese,” Jon mutters but smiles brightly at the camera all the same. They have their arms around each other, shoulders pressed close as Damian presses his cheek against Jon’s temple, identical smiles adorning their faces.

***

“What happened to having _wagyu_ for dinner?”

“The weather’s too hot for that. Summer calls for _soba_! I know this really good place.”

“It better be really good _soba_ for us to abandon _wagyu_.”

“ _Hai, hai_.”

“So where exactly is this soba place you’re bringing me to?”

“It’s just up the street, be patient!" 

Jon leads him to a restaurant right under an office building, a short line already forming right outside the entrance. Bright spotlights illuminated the words _miyota_ in _hiragana_ and roman letters, stark white against the dark blue walls. Like many Japanese restaurants, plastic models of the dishes served are displayed in a glass case outside, along with the names and prices of the dishes.

The realistic model of the _soba_ served on a large wooden box and three large pieces of chicken _tempura_ catches Damian’s attention, all for a mere 600 _yen_. He balks at how affordable the set was, considering how huge the portion size looked; knowing that a _soba_ set like this can cost nearly three times the price back at home. 

A waiter leads them to a seat right in front of the counter, with a clear view of the kitchen and the chefs. Damian watches with interest as the chefs worked, while Jon gives their orders to a waitress.

“I’ve heard good things about their soba. A foodie friend recommended it to me.

Almost 10 minutes later, the waitress arrives at Damian’s seat and places a large wooden box laden with soba and a small plate of _tempura_ right in front of him. Suddenly, _soba_ looked like a much better choice than _wagyu_. 

“You should send a picture to everyone back home,” Jon whispers.

“I’ve done enough of that during my first few days here, Todd threatened to maim me once I get home.”

Murmuring their thanks for the food, Damian picks up a few strands of _soba_ and dips them into the sauce, bringing it to his mouth as he slurps it up with relish. His eyes widen, surprised by the faint fragrance of the buckwheat.

“This is really good!”

“Told you!” Jon slurps up his own bite. “Now eat up!”

***

“ _Thank you for the meal_!” 

The sky was already dark as they exit the restaurant; the streets of _Omotesando_ flocked with shoppers carrying shopping bags from the luxury brands down the road. As Damian tucks his wallet into the pocket of his khaki, Jon asks, “Anywhere else you would like to go before heading back to your hotel?” 

Under the glare of the spotlights illuminating the soba shop sign, Damian feels his cheeks heat when he mutters reluctantly, “… _Shibuya_ Crossing.”

“ _Shibuya_ … Crossing?” Jon parrots.

A beat of silence, and Damian swears he sees the lightbulb going off above Jon’s head when the realisation hits. The shit-eating grin that threatens to split his boyfriend’s face in half is enough to make him start walking towards the station.

“Oh. Oh! You want one of those Instagram worthy shots of the crossing, don’t you?” Jon catches up to him, discreetly slipping his hand into the crook of his elbow.

“No!” Damian blurts out, loud enough to garner looks from curious passers-by. “It was Drake’s fault anyways. He dared me to take one of those before the trip ends!”

“ _Riiiiiiiight_ , and my parents aren’t pulitzer prize winning journalists.” Jon reaches up to poke him playfully on the cheek. “Don’t worry, I do photography as a hobby too. You won’t have to worry about ugly shots on your Instagram feed, I’ll even send extras to Alfred.”

Jon lets go of his arm as they enter the station. As they cross the gantries, Damian leans over to whisper, “If we weren’t in public, I would have kissed you to shut you up.”

“Is that supposed to be a threat?” Jon tilts his head at him, mirth shining in his eyes.

“Keep it up and it may be.”

A blush blooms across Jon’s cheeks, blue eyes widening comically behind square framed glasses. Damian bites back a laugh as Jon huffs and pointedly looks away, hands twitching by the sides. The blare of the train drowns out whatever retort Jon has prepared.

Once again, the crowd at the station meant that Damian is once again pressed up against Jon, caging him against the sliding doors and shielding him from the sea of commuters. Jon mouths a ‘thank you’ before ducking down to scroll through his phone, leaving him to endure the uncomfortable squeeze of people around him.

The two-minute ride felt too long for Damian’s liking, and he could not help but let out a sigh when they finally manage to wrestle their way out of the platform at _Shibuya_ station.

Surging with locals and tourists waiting to cross the most famous intersection in the entire world, Damian takes in the bustle of _Shibuya_ Crossing. Surrounded by multi-storied buildings lined with massive brightly lid billboards promoting the latest Summer Sonic festival announcements, _Amuro Namie’s_ final farewell tour, fashion and make up brand advertisements, Damian doesn’t know where to focus his attention on. Behind him, a group of buskers begins their performance, a loud rock song that he finds himself enjoying. 

And just like any overwhelmed tourist in Tokyo, Damian snaps a photo and posts it on his Instagram story.

The continuous flow of people from the nearby exit to _Shibuya_ Station meant Damian and Jon had to keep close to each other to prevent getting separated. Jon slips his hand into the crook of his elbow again and leads him towards one of the traffic lights.

“What do you think?” He asks.

“Messy” is the first thing Damian blurts out. Judging from the surprised laugh he got, that was probably not the reaction Jon expected.

Damian watches as a massive semi-trailer blasting music drives past, banners on each side advertising the latest single release of a group called 三代目 J Soul Brothers from EXILE TRIBE. Two girls standing in front of him whips out their phones to video the truck driving past, whispering excitedly to each other. The large images of seven men in the group stare back at him as the truck turns into the street towards _Shibuya 109_ , the music growing fainter.

“ _Sandaime_ JSB! They’re really popular here. The Vietnamese exchange student in my Global Feminism class is really into them.”

Jon pulls out his phone from his back pocket, dragging Damian closer towards the crowd of pedestrians waiting to cross. “Anyways, you’re not chickening out from this.” 

“Fuck, I was hoping you forgot about the photo,” Damian groans.

“Heck no. I’m using a Google Pixel, so you don’t have to worry about ugly ass photos.”

The light turns green. Like clockwork, pedestrians spill onto the intersection like marbles from a bag on all sides. Just like Damian and Jon, there are multiple groups of tourists trying to get their _Shibuya_ Crossing photos taken before the light turns red again. 

Damian strides confidently towards the _Tsutaya_ building across the station, keeping his gaze straight ahead. He tries not to fidget when he sees Jon walking sideways from the corner of his eye, hands steady with the viewfinder trained on him.

When they finally reach the other side, Jon is doubled over in laughter, shoulders shaking and hands pressed against his stomach.

“You’re a natural at this!” Jon laughs, wiping the tears away. “Jesus Christ, my boyfriend should have been a model.”

 _Boyfriend_. Something warm blooms in his heart at the sound of Jon referring to him as “my boyfriend”. It feels almost childish to find joy in such a mere title, but the fondness in Jon’s voice eases the ache in his heart when he remembers that he is heading home tomorrow.

The past week has been too short for his liking, there are still so many things he wants to do with Jon before leaving. Damian wishes they were back in his hotel room, or at least somewhere private where he could kiss Jon properly before they say goodbye for the next six months.

He doesn’t realise he has been staring at Jon for too long when he feels a hesitant hand slip into his own.

“You okay?” Jon whispers. 

He wants to say, ‘ _I want to kiss you_ ’. Instead he blurts out, “I was wondering if I should make true of that kissing threat I promised earlier.”

“What.”

For the second time that night, those blue eyes he loves widen in surprise. The sudden blush blooming across Jon’s face shouldn’t make him feel so smug either. Part of him also wishes a hole would swallow him whole for saying something as stupid as this.

“Oh god,” Jon giggles, burying his face in his hands to hide his blush. A tiny sadistic bit inside of Damian makes him want to tease his boyfriend even more, just to see how red his face could get at the end of the night.

“Come back to my hotel room with me?” He purrs, adopting his best ‘playboy’ imitation that he has seen his father use often at parties.

Jon lets out an inelegant snort, leaning back against the glass walls of the building to hold himself up as he covers his mouth to stifle his laughter. Damian finds himself smiling at Jon’s helpless attempt to regain some dignity and sneakily winds his arm around that slim waist.

“Shut up!” Jon laughs, pushing Damian playfully on the shoulder. Against the harsh spotlights and pockets of shadows in _Shibuya_ crossing, Jon turns to bury his face against Damian’s shoulder, slowly laughing out the mirth bubbling in him.

Jon pulls away and takes a deep breath, reaching up to pat his cheeks to cool them down.

“Okay, but nothing further than kissing, I have school tomorrow!”

“ _Hai, hai_ ,” Damian parrots, hiding his smile in the crown of his boyfriend’s head as they walk towards the traffic lights again to head back to the station 

***

Located right across Tokyo Bay, Damian’s room in _Hilton Tokyo Odaiba_ had a clear view of the Rainbow Bridge lighting up at night, and the glittering Tokyo skyline in the distance. With the wind from the sea and the sounds of ships sailing across the Bay, Jon presses himself against the hotel balcony railing, enjoying the faint scent of salt in the air.

“Wouldn’t expect less from a Wayne,” Jon cheekily adds. “You could even see Tokyo Tower in the distance!”

Damian watches him by the balcony doors, polo shirt untucked and unbuttoned. Jon pulls out his phone and snaps a few photos, firing them off to his family back in the States. For the first time since they met last week, Jon looks relaxed for once, the tension in his shoulders gone. 

Damian wishes he could stay the night again.

Jon pockets his phone and looks up at him, longing in his eyes. Damian unfolds his arms and moves away from the sliding doors. He pulls Jon into his arms just as Jon steps forward, tucking his head underneath his chin. They stay like that for a few minutes, letting go when Jon moves to pull away.

“I have to go now,” he whispers, reaching up to cup Damian’s cheeks.

“I know, fly safe,” Damian says, leaning down to press a kiss on Jon’s forehead. “Text me when you get home.

“I will. Don’t stay up too late, you have an early flight tomorrow,” Jon stands on his tiptoes to press a kiss on Damian’s lips.

“ _Hai, hai_ ,” Damian whispers against his lips, arms tightening around Jon’s waist.

“Cheeky,” his boyfriend whispers, winding his arms around his neck to allow Damian to deepen the kiss. Damian leans back against the sliding doors, allowing Jon to press himself closer till they’re flushed against each other. 

Damian pulls away from the kiss to leave bites on the underside of Jon’s jaw, hands slipping into the back pockets of his jeans to grip his ass. He grins at the surprised squeak it elicits, Jon’s hips stuttering to grind his crotch against his own. He knows they have to stop, Jon has classes tomorrow and he has a flight to catch at 10.

A rebellious part in Damian wants to flip them around so he could fuck Jon in the open like this, dirty and hurried with their pants around their ankles and Jon’s legs in the crook of his elbows, pressing him against the sliding doors.

Judging by the near desperate way Jon is kissing and grinding against him, he wants it too.

“D-Damian,” Jon whines. “P-please, just do something.”

“You okay with this?” he asks, stumbling into the room; half dragging half carrying Jon in his arms, kicking off the indoor slippers as they go.

“Blanket permission,” Jon gasps. He pulls away and pushes Damian into the nearest armchair next to the balcony, clambering onto his lap and diving into another heated kiss that Damian welcomes with enthusiasm. 

***

After a quick cursory rinse under the shower to wash off the stickiness, and a glass of water later, Damian and Jon found themselves ensconced in bed, the dirtied comforter tossed onto the floor.

“What time do you have to get up?” Jon yawns, making himself comfortable underneath the blankets.

“Six,” Damian replies, fiddling with his phone before setting it on the bedside table. “I’ll wake you up, so sleep.” 

Jon makes a soft noise in response, already half asleep. Damian smiles as he reaches over to switch off the lights, settling down beside Jon to wrap him in his arms. With the sound of the waves from the bay outside and Jon’s steady breathing, Damian finds himself drifting off.

***

The minute the alarm on his phone chimes, Damian snaps awake. He never had the habit of snoozing his alarms, much less getting groggy after six hours of sleep. A result of his ex-assassin training as a child meant that he is used to waking up without being affected by sleep inertia.

Sunlight was already streaming into the room, bathing the room with its bright rays. Summer in Japan meant daylight at four in the morning, and he had forgot to draw the blackout curtains before tumbling into bed with his boyfriend.

He looks at Jon, who is still buried underneath the covers, fast asleep. Unlike his father and other kryptonians, Jon isn’t as easily energised by sunlight. But he still enjoys its benefits on his body all the same.

“Jon. Wake up, sweetheart,” he whispers, leaning over to shake him awake. “It’s time for you to head home.”

“W-wha..” Jon blinks, still half asleep. He slowly sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Stifling a yawn, he asks, “What time is it?”

“Just after six, we both need to get cleaned up.”

“Mmm, okay.”

In the tranquility of the Tokyo morning, Damian watches with heavy fondness as Jon shuffles into the bathroom, all loose limbed and as graceful as a stumbling colt. He wants this, to wake up with Jon in his arms every morning, and the quiet domesticity that comes along with it.

He fires off a text to his secretary, telling her that he is awake and that he would not be bothered until the car taking them to the airport arrives at the lobby. He doesn’t want any morning calls to interrupt them, giving him more time to spend with Jon before they have to be apart for another six months.

He throws on a bathrobe, not bothering to tie it shut as he walks into the bathroom, watching Jon attempt to tame his curls with the spare comb on the counter.

“Morning,” he grins at him. “Was wondering if you’ll like a bit of coffee before you go?”

Jon smiles at him through the mirror, hair neatly combed and fresh faced from washing up. “Sure, I take mine with milk and sugar.”

“Let me clean up and I’ll join you.” He walks over to press a kiss on the crown on his head.

Jon answers with an affirmative sound as usual, smacking him playfully on the ass before running out laughing.

“ _Jon_!” 

After a quick trip to the toilet and shower, he emerges from the bathroom to see Jon leaning against the balcony doors, wearing only a pair of briefs with a cup of coffee in his hands, bathing in the sunlight. Another cup is sitting on the table where his glasses are, still steaming hot.

 _He is beautiful like this_ , Damian thinks. As cliché as it sounds, the entire picture of Jon bathed in sunlight would forever be painted in his mind. At the end of everything, they have Tokyo. They may have parted in Gotham, but they found each other in Tokyo again.

Damian wonders what if he never spotted Jon in the crowd that day at Shinjuku Station. Would they have met somewhere else? A tiny idealistic part of him thinks it may have been fate, that the universe aligned itself just to make sure he would see Jon on the platform of the _Yamanote_ line that fateful afternoon.

“You’re being all think-y again.”

He looks up. Jon sets his cup down on the table and strolls lazily towards him, reaching out to tie his bathrobe proper.

“Now you can stop accidentally flashing me." 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Damian dissolves into laughter, one hand on Jon’s hips while he buries his face in Jon’s curls. He hears Jon laughing along, arms reaching up to hold him in a loose embrace.

“I have to go soon. You need to pack up and get ready to leave.”

“Not yet, I told my secretary that I won’t be interrupted until the airport car arrives.”

Jon pulls away, looking up at him with wide eyes. “You have a secretary?”

“Yes… I do?” He didn’t understand the surprise, was it not usual for him to have a secretary?

“How are they like? I mean, of course you would have a secretary. Are they younger than you? Do they do typical secretary stuff for you? Organising meetings? Liaising with potential clients? Attractive?”

Damian cuts off Jon’s babbling halfway, “You sound like you’re jealous.”

“What?” Jon squawks indignantly. “Am not!” 

Damian reaches up to pinch his boyfriend’s cheeks, laughing at the offended squawk while Jon pushes his hands away. “For the record, she is a very capable woman. WHO, I might add, makes Mercy Graves look like a saint in comparison. I’m the one who has to follow her orders and advice throughout this trip, not the other way around.”

Jon took one look at him and said blankly, “You’re terrified of her.”

“So to speak,” Damian shrugs. “She’s been in Wayne Enterprises years before Grayson was adopted. Aside from Lucius, she is one of those important people keeping Wayne Enterprises running so successfully.”

“ _I see_ ,” Jon mutters in Japanese.

“Anyways, is that cup of coffee mine?”

“Yes, with milk and no sugar. And where the fuck are my socks and shoes…” Jon mutters to himself as he walks around the room looking for them, slipping on his jeans and t-shirt at the same time.

Damian would give anything in the world to wake up like this every morning.

“What time is it?”

“Five minutes to seven,” Damian answers, sipping his coffee. “Are you in a rush?”

“A little, class starts at 8:30. I have to make a quick detour home to change and get my things for school.”

“You’ll be flying home then?”

“Yeah, it takes nearly an hour to get home by train anyways,” Jon gets up from where he was sitting by the doorway, having put on his socks and shoes.

“I guess this is goodbye then.”

Damian doesn’t want him to go. If only his flight wasn’t in three hours, if only Jon didn’t have classes in the morning. They could have spent more time in bed together, and maybe have breakfast brought up to the room for them. Anything but hurried goodbyes, a 13-hour time difference and nearly 7000 miles between them.

“Don’t look so sad, you’re going to make me cry,” Jon jokes.

But Damian could already see the telltale signs of waterworks coming. He immediately pulls Jon into a tight hug, trying to memorise the softness of his hair, the faint scent of that Japanese home brand detergent on his clothes, anything that would help him ease the longing ache in his heart.

“I wish we had more time,” he laughs helplessly.

 _I love you_ , he wants to add. 

Jon pulls away, eyes bright and teary. “I have to go. Walk me to the balcony?”

He hands Jon his glasses as they step onto the balcony. “Fly safe,” he says. “Text me when you get home.”

Jon leans up to give him a chaste kiss on his lips, hands cupping his cheeks. “Safe flight, Damian.”

They part with another slow lingering kiss, Jon’s hands slipping away. Instinctively, Damian takes Jon’s right hand in his and presses a kiss on his knuckles. “I’ll see you in December.”

“I’ll pick you up at the airport,” Jon promises. Only then does Damian take a step back. He watches Jon leaps gracefully onto the balcony railing, before launching into the sky, a loud boom echoing behind him.

He remains on the balcony, watching the blue summer skies with a wistful look on his face.

10 minutes later, his phone buzzes. A message from Jon pops up.

****_Jon  
Gonna miss you, dummy /crying face emoji/. (07:15)_   
****_Safe flight, okay? I’ll send you lots of photos of Japan (07:16)  
Help me say hi to everyone back in the states /folded hands emoji/ (07:16) _

A smile tugs at Damian’s face as he replies.

_** Damian ** _  
_**I will /heart emoji/ (07:17)** _  
_**Don’t be late for school, I’m surprised no one has noticed the boom yet (07:17)  
I’ll see you December. Let’s plan our trip to Kansai over Skype (07:18) ** _

He moves to change into his clothes, forgoing the tie just this once. As he does up his cuff links, his phone buzzes again. 

_**Jon** _   
_**Okay~ (07:30)  
See you once you land in Gotham /kissy face emoji/ (07:30) **_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the locations used in this fic are actual locations located in Tokyo, so I’m not making shit up. 
> 
> The shinto customs that Damian and Jon follow in this fic are basic etiquette that any visitors should respect when visiting a Shinto shrine in Japan. So no they aren’t religious, but it’s respectful to follow local customs when you’re in a foreign country. More information could be found on the [Meiji Shrine website](http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/your/1.html). 
> 
> The bit about Jon's Japanese being good is actually a reference to [this video](https://twitter.com/Dogen/status/918480531859238912) done by Dogen on Twitter.
> 
> In order to keep this fic T-Rated, the NSFW bits in this chapter were removed. I may post it up on AO3 in the future, properly tagged and all. 
> 
> We'll be travelling to Kansai with Damian and Jon next chapter! Please look forward to it!


End file.
